Staff Correspondent:

Planning adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud asked the government officials to start preparation for the next general election and stressed on recovery of illegal arms.

“Our main target is to conduct a good election and maintaining law and order situation. What we are doing now are byproducts. The reforms being undertaken by ministries are happening because of the time and opportunity available. But the main task now is to prepare for the election,” the adviser was speaking at a views-exchange meeting with government officials in Chattogram.

The meeting was held at the Chattogram Circuit House on Saturday afternoon.

Recalling his experience as an adviser in the 1996 caretaker government, Wahiduddin Mahmud said at the meeting, “It is urgent to start recovering illegal arms. This must be done to maintain law and order. Naturally, many politically influential people and cadres will not willingly surrender their weapons. But we must recover illegal arms. Legal arms must be collected and kept in storage during the election.”

“We are here for just a short period and will leave after that. But some positive trends have been initiated. Good governance cannot be achieved in a single day. However, we will not go back entirely to where we were before. We will move forward, learning from the past,” he added.

Wahiduddin Mahmud described the country’s first tunnel built under the Karnaphuli River in Chattogram as a “white elephant” project.

He said that although the tunnel was constructed, its maintenance costs are not being covered by current usage.

Superintending Engineer of the Roads and Highways Department, Jahed Hossain, informed the meeting that the volume of traffic through the tunnel is low.

He proposed widening an alternative road to increase vehicle flow in the tunnel.

At this, adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud asked, “Why are you thinking about this after building the tunnel? The planning should have been done beforehand. This has now become a white elephant project. We are incurring daily losses to keep the tunnel operational. Moreover, five-star and seven-star resorts have been built at the Anwara end at huge expenses. These also require maintenance and significant funds. And who will come to such an empty place for recreation? This needs to be reconsidered.”

Wahiduddin Mahmud said there is a plan to hand these resorts over to the private sector.

“They must be handed over, even though no one is willing to take them. They must be given away. Even if there is no income, someone will at least maintain them and look after them,” he said.

Describing the tunnel as a “showpiece,” the advisor remarked, “People won’t come to see this showpiece for long. A tunnel is not something to come and look at.”

The meeting, organised by the divisional and district administration of Chattogram, was chaired by additional divisional commissioner (Development) Sharmin Jahan.

Also present were Chattogram City Corporation Mayor Shahadat Hossain and senior officials of various government institutions.